Interlocking mechanism for voting-machines.



PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

W. J. LAUSTERBR. A INTERLOGKING MEGHANISM FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lllcul [N VEN TOR /Cvl ATTORNEY.

WTNESSES:

PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

W.-J. LAUSTERER. INTERLOCKING MEGHANISM FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3A LlVENTo/e 9 WITNESSES.-

ATTORNEY.

.Patented July 4, 1905.

UNITED vSTATES PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIAM J. LAUSTERER, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. STANDARD VOTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEI/V YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INTERLOCKING MECHANISNI .FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,666, dated July 4, 1905.

Application filed september 1o, 1904. serai No. 223,979.

To (LH wil/0711, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. LAUSTERER, ot' Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interlocking Mechanism for Voting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to interlocking mechanism particularly adapted for use in voting-machines of the class contained in Letters Patent No. 647,657, in which movable ballot-indicating devices or keys are provided with interlocking straps or rods having wedges or enlargements arranged in a channel or support and coperati ng with limiting-abutments thereon and permitting the operation of a predetermined number of indicators to voting position either in single or in multi candidate groups; and it has for its object to provide certain improvements in the manner of mounting the channel or support and the construction of the enlargements on the interlocking rods and of means for controlling the position of the channel or support, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the cnd of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the front plate of a votingmachine, showing the ballot-indicating keys or locking mechanism. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view, partly in section, of the interlocking channel. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of the channel only. Fig. 4 is a View of one of the supportingplates of the channel. Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the pins for securing thechannel from movement. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the end of one of the interlocking rods or straps and its wedge or enlargement. Fig. 7 is a view of one of the wedges removed. Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 are perspective views of the rollers or abutments between the wedges or enlargeshown in Figs. 6 and 7, the interlocking straps are cut away near their ends on one side to form an enlargement or laterally-extending lug 4, and the wedges or enlargements 3 are provided on the rear or Hat sides with achannel for receiving the reduced portion of the strap and the recesses 5 at the side for receiving the lug or extension 4.` The parts being assembled, as shown in Fig. 6, they are soldered or secured firmly, thus leaving the wedge, which is flat on one side and tapered at its upper edge and so connected to the rod or strap that there is no liability for their being accidentally or otherwise separated. These wedges or enlargements are arranged in the interlocking channel about to be described in pairs, with the fiat sides together, as shown in Fig. 1, and between each pair is arranged a separating-roller 6, having a reduced central portion. Some of these rollers are constructed, as in Fig. 8, with the axial aperture 7, through which is adapted to be passed the grouping-pins 8, which also coperate with the channel, so that said wedges when secured will form the limiting-abutments between groups.

In the present embodiment the channel is composed of two similar plates 9, having near their upper edges grooves 10, in which the rollers 6 operate, said plates being spaced and formed into a practically solid structure by plates 11, secured between and to them at intervals. The channel thus constructed is supported by the main frame of the machine, preferably upon the rollers 12, arranged upon pins 13, extending between the side plates, said rollers operating in slots 14C, formed in plates 15, arranged near opposite ends of the channel. The plates 15 are supported on bolts 16, suitable spacing-washers 17 being` arranged on the bolts between the plates, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this construction forming a light and rigid support for the channel, as will be understood.

In the present embodiment ot' my invention the channel or support carrying the 1imitingabutments is permitted a longitudinal movement to permit the multieandidate groups to be formed by combining any desired number of the ballot-indicators; but if it is desired to secure the channel rigidly this may be done b v a removable locking-pin 18, Fig. 5, which is passed through apertures 1.) in the channelplates and a corresponding aperture 2O in the plates 15, said pin being secured, il desired,

by the latch 21 cooperating with the reduced portion 22 thereof. The grouping-pins securing the limiting-almtments have their outer ends bent in the form ol2 a loop, the Vfree end being resilient and adapted to engage a groove or depression 28, formed in the upper edge in one of the channel-plates, in order that the accidental movement of the grouping-pins may be prevented.

The channel plate or support is permitted a limited longitudinal movement in order that the interlocking rods or straps will be prevented from binding when a large multicandidate group is ilormed, as in Fig. 1, and the indicators, whose straps are located near one end ol the channel, are operated to voted position. rlhis broad feature, however, is not ot' my invention, and I make no claim to it herein. 1n the use of this sliding channel when a number of indicators at one end have been moved to voted position and the channel moved to accommodate itseltl there is aliability when the indicators are reset of the channel remaining in its operated position, so that the operation of theindicators near the other end by the next voter is rendered more difiicult, owing to the fact that the channel must be moved by them, and in order that the channel maybe reset to normal position .l provide connections between it and the resettingsbar of the machine. This feature is shown in Fig. 10, in which 25 indicates the strap and indicator-resetting bar passing' through apertures in the interlocking straps and operated downwardly to reset the bars by means of levers 26, pivotedvto the casing 27, actuated by suitable means, such as downwardly-movable bars 2S, connected to the operating mechanism o'l the machine, compression links or bars 29 being interposed between the levers and the resetti ng-bars. Near the end or ends of the channel is located a plate or plates 30, havin at its upper end a tapering recess, with which is adapted to operate a projection, pre'l erahly in the form oli' a roller 31, mounted upon a stud on the lever 26. The :urange ment ol these parts is such that when the outer ends of the levers 26 are moved downwardly to operate the resetting-bar the proliection 31 will enter and engage the inclined walls at the upper end of the plate 30 and move the channel to central or normal position.

1t will be understood that other forms oi devices can be employed without delaarting from my invention and that this centering can be arranged vl'or other means than a reset ting nlechanism.

In the present embodiment the channel is arranged so near the front plate a() ol the machine that in order to accommodate the lront ends et' the grouping-pins the front plate 8 is slotted and is covered with a cover plate 4:1, as shown particularly in Fig. 3.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The coml, ination with a plurality of movable members having enlargements thereon, oi' a movable channel, limiting-almtments thereon with which the enlargements coperate, and a su pport extend ing between the sides ot' the channel and upon which it is longitudinal ly adjustable.

2. The combination with a plurality ol movable members having enlargements thereon, of a movable channel, limiting-abutments thereon with which the enlargements cooperate, and the separated plates arranged between the sides of the channel upon which the channel is longitudinally adjustable.

3. The combination with the interhiiching channel, and the rollers thereon ol the separated bearing-plates supporting said channel and upon which the rollers operate.

L1. The combination with the movable interlocking channel, and the rollers arranged between the sides thereof, ot the l)caring-plates having the slots through which the rollers ex* tend.

5. The combination with the movable chan nel, of the separated bearing-plates arranged between the sides ol the channel and supporting the latter.

6. The combination with the movable chan nel and the rollers arranged between the sides thereof, of a stationary bearingarranged within the channel having the apertures therein, and the securing-pin cooperating with the channel and bearing.

7. r1`he combination with themovable chan nel and the rollers arranged between the sides thereol, of a stationarybearingarranged with- 4in the channel having the apertures therein,

the securing-pin cooperating with the channel and bearing and a securing device lfor the pin.

8. '.lhe combination with the interlocking straps, the channel enibodying the connected plates having the grooves in their proximate sides and lthe rollers between them, olI the separated supporting-plates having the slots therein for the rollers.

9. The combination with a plurality of interlocking members, of a movable support having limiting-abutments thereon between which the members arearranged, said support being movable by and with the members, a stationary support upon which the former is movable and a removable locking device for securing the two supports.

10. The combination with .the interlocking members or straps, a movable support having limiting-abutments between which the members operate, said support being movable by and with the members, of a separate means for restoring' the support to position after being moved by the members.

11. The combination with the interlocking members or straps having enlargements, a support having adjustable limitingabutments thereon between which the members operate, said support being movable by and with the members from a normal position and means for restoring the support to normal position.

12. The combination with the interlocking members or straps having enlargements and a support having limiting-abutments between which the members operate, said support being movable by the members, of a restoring device for the members and connections between it and the support for resetting the 14:. The combination with the interlocking members and a movable support having limiting-abutments with which* the members coperate, of a resetting device for the members and a centering projection and recess between it and the support for restoring the latter to normal position.

15. The combination with the interlocking straps having the enlargements, and the resetting devices therefor, of a movable support having limiting-stops thereon between which the straps are arranged and centeringdevices between the resetting device and the support for restoring the latter to normal position at each operation.

16. The combination with the interlocking straps and the resetting device therefor, of a movable support with which the straps coperate and by which it is operated and centering devices between the resetting device andv the support embodyinga plate having inclined walls and a projection cooperating therewith.

17. vIn an interlocking mechanism the combination with the strap or rod having the lateral extension thereon, of the wedge-plate provided with the recess in its rear side adapted to receive the strap and its extension. "WILLIAM J. LAUSTERER. Witnesses:

MARTIN L. BADI-IORN, ALEXANDER CoRoILIUs. 

